www.maderatribune.comServing the Heart of California since 1892http://www.maderatribune.com/node/5201/atom.xml2015-03-31T18:40:03+00:00http://www.maderatribune.com/opinion/another-side-internet-sales-tax2013-05-14T03:46:07+00:002013-05-16T03:46:28+00:00Another side to Internet sales taxwebmaster

Like those advertisements that say “but wait, there’s more,” there’s more to the issue of taxing storefront business sales and Internet sales than “there needs to be a level playing field.” That response avoids the purpose of taxes altogether and agrees with the government, which really doesn’t have anything to do with the matter yet wants a cut of the action.

As I understand it, Internet sales taxes are already collected by those companies that have an actual physical presence in a state. If I have a business selling items on the Internet out of my home in Madera, I collect California and Madera taxes on in-state sales, and send it to Sacramento. I accrue benefits from those sales tax receipts. However, for other customers living in other states, I get zero benefit from collecting those states’ taxes for them. No public safety, roads, schools, etc are provided by those states to me or on my behalf. Extra work for me, learning 49 states’ tax laws and rates, keeping track of them all, and no benefit? I think it’s a rotten deal.

The issue that taxing Internet sales needs to be the same as businesses that do receive benefits of the taxes is unfair, not fair at all. Increasing taxes of any type is desired by the government, which is spending beyond its means